CCS: Wolf's Fall
by Lucky Jinxe
Summary: The beginning of high school, a happy future ahead. Then it all comes tumbling down when Shaoran disappears. No one else remembers him but for the new student from overseas and Sakura must team up with his shrewd intelligence to track her love down.
1. Prologue

**Note:** If you're obsessive about the reality of background then please read this first before pointing out I've bent the truth a tad. For starters, I have manipulated the school system a little to suit my needs here so that it resembles that of the English educational system a tad more; and the curriculum is mostly just made up on the spot so that I can bring more of my knowledge to bare (some of it, such as the history course, will reflect my own personal interest and knowledge a fair bit).

Nicholas Cray will become a main character in this fanfiction; but by no means will he be the most prominent. I intend for him to be more of a supporting character, rather like Tomoyo or Kero but with more influence. More than before he will be reflecting me, his physical description is a step towards my own physique and I'm trying to capture the best of my own nature in this vessel more than usual.

In any case, enjoy!

**P**rologue

Tomoeda. A town in Japan like any other, except for the fact that, unbeknown to the rest of the world, the most powerful sorcerer in the world lived there. Kinomoto Sakura is in her freshman year at Tomoeda High School, aged 16.

Sakura lives alone with her father now. Her elder brother is away at university after completing his gap year abroad, in Europe; and her mother died when she was three years old. For most people this might warrant pity or special consideration for their loss; but Sakura takes it in her stride and remains cheerful, looking on the bright side at all times.

Our story begins as Sakura walks to school. It is the fourth week of the Autumn semester, the first period in the school year. Sakura approaches a t-junction where there are three paths. The one she walks from, with the path in front continuing on towards the elementary and high schools which are next to each other. The last road is to her right, with a path on the left side of the junction leading to the large park.

Waiting for her is Li Shaoran, Sakura's boyfriend and fellow sorcerer.

* * *

Shaoran looked up as Sakura approached him and smiled a good morning to her. He pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning on and waited for her to cross the road, looking left and right quickly as she did so.

They embraced, a routine for the morning but the flare of emotion was still there, just settled into a more domestic affection. The two drew apart and walked on to school.

"Did you get that presentation done?" Shaoran asked Sakura. The class had been asked to create a presentation using notes they had taken in class on a topic of their choosing. Shaoran and Sakura shared most of their classes: P.E, music and history. Shaoran had chosen maths as his fourth choice while Sakura had chosen chemistry. The presentation in question was for their history lesson.

"Somehow. It took all night; there were a lot of books I had to read to get it all. High school is so much work." Sakura grumbled, although in reality she didn't mind too much, she was enjoying doing the subjects she loved the most and the free time she had.

"It'll be worth it in the end. We'll get to do what we want to." Shaoran encouraged her, knowing full well she didn't need it; but speaking about their future was always a good topic for the two. Sakura immediately brightened at the thought of her dream coming true.

"That's right! I can become a nurse or a doctor and help everyone get better!" She smiled at that thought and Shaoran, infected by her dreamy happiness, couldn't stop himself smiling too.

"You got yours done too, right?" Sakura asked and Shaoran nodded.

"Our group was lucky; we were given the topic which we'd been learning about so I didn't have to do so much research."

They turned into the school gates, chatting away like the merry couple they were.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" Naoko's voice made the two stop in mid-conversation.

"Naoko-chan, good morning!" Sakura greeted their old school friend with a smile and a wave as they waited for her.

"Did you hear? Apparently there's a new boy in our class from overseas!" Naoko blurted out the new gossip.

"Really? How do you know?" Sakura asked, equally enthralled now. The coming of a foreign student to school children was the equivalent of a celebrity pregnancy to the paparazzi.

"Chiharu-chan overheard the teachers talking about it. He's going to be in our class!"

The two girls talked away as Chiharu, Rika and Yamazaki joined the trio with good mornings. The girls chatted away amongst themselves, speculating about their new classmate.

"I heard he's from England." Yamazaki commented to Shaoran.

"Oh? Do you think he knows Hiiragizawa?" Shaoran asked in a vaguely interested tone.

"We can ask him, I guess. He's going to be introduced to us in homeroom." At the mention of that Shaoran checked his watch.

"I think we should get going or we'll be late." He said, loudly enough so that the girls could hear him. At last they continued on their way to the classroom where the entire class had already heard the rumour and were dashing around to collect the tiny scraps of gossip that had been found out. They were all interrupted as the bell rang and their homeroom teacher entered.

He walked in and waved them all to their seats as he made his way to the squat teacher's desk at the front of the classroom onto which he put the registration folder.

"As you have heard; we have a new student joining us today." Teachers were not naive; they knew how gossip travelled in schools. "He comes from England and has moved to his godfather's home nearby. He recently lost his parents so try not to mention anything about them. You can come in now!" The teacher raised his voice so that the boy outside slid the door open and stepped into the room.

He was pale with a minor hint of a tan of one who spends time outside working in the heat when the occasion calls for it. His blonde hair was wavy and had plainly been brushed into a side parting but his hair was unruly and had covered up the parting to give an illusion that his hair was like a sea, waves rising and falling as they circled his head. The boy had blue eyes that were both soft and hard at the same time, his brow drooped a little over his eyes and this, coupled with the permanent darkening under his eyes, gave the illusion of tiredness.

The boy was not tall, only measuring the five foot and six inches, roughly 170cm; but there was something about the way he moved and the quickness of his eyes that suggested that his height was of no disadvantage. He was slim, his uniform shirt and blazer sitting well across his back but showing his lack of fat around his waist. His tie was in a perfect Windsor knot and while he looked crisp and clean in his school uniform it did not give off a feeling of being uptight but more of pride in how he looked.

All in all, there was nothing spectacular about the boy. He was of just below average height, had an average build with slightly above average shoulder width and a face that could be described as fairly handsome but not what one would call photogenic.

"Good morning, I am Nicholas Cray – or rather Cray Nicholas in this language." The boy rubbed the back of his head and laughed to show his nerves. His laugh was strong and infectious, despite the nervous backing. "In any case, I hope we can get along well." He bowed courteously then walked to the seat that the teacher directed to him.

"Hello. It's nice to meet you." Nicholas greeted Sakura as he slid into the seat to her left with a calm smile.

"I'm Sakura." Sakura introduced herself in English. Her voice was halting, her mastery of the language was most certainly not perfect but was passable and the boy seemed pleased at her attempt.

"Then may I call you Sakura-chan? I'm not one for formality unless it's due." The boy replied in Japanese. He spoke fluently and easily but the English accent was definitely there.

"Only if I can call you Nicholas-kun." Sakura stumbled over his name. It was difficult to use English pronunciation with a Japanese honorific; but Nicholas was happy enough with it.

"Of course, I'd be delighted."

* * *

"What subjects are you taking then?"

It was just before the end of registration when all the announcements had been gone through and the students had time to talk amongst themselves; and so pretty much the entire class had crowded around Nicholas' desk. The boy treated the attention with a mild acceptance and tried to pay equal attention to all the questions asked him in turn.

"Oh, what was I taking again? History, chemistry, biology, P.E, economics and… maths." There were gasps from the students. Taking four subjects was the norm amongst them; it was rare for anyone to be allowed to take more than that so that they could concentrate on getting good grades. Sakura noted how both she and Shaoran shared three lessons each with him.

"How come you were allowed to take so many subjects?" The questions were hurled at the boy.

"I was taking more back in England; but Spanish and French aren't taught here so I had to drop them; but that's not too bad since I'm nearly fluent anyway." There were more gasps; Nicholas had already gained a reputation as an academic genius.

"How long are you here for?" Another student asked.

"Probably for life. I always wanted to live in Japan and after a few incidents I decided to come and stay here." As another question was about to be hurled at him the school bell rang and the class chorused their disappointment before trudging back to their desks to pick up their school bags and wander out in their groups.

Sakura joined Shaoran by the door but stopped as she saw Nicholas studying a layout of the school which was on the notice board. All the form rooms had one so that students could reference it.

"What is it?" Shaoran asked and followed her gaze. "Oh, didn't he say he had history?" Sakura wasn't surprised that he'd basically read her mind, they knew each other well enough to do that.

"We could show him where the classroom is." Sakura suggested and Shaoran nodded. He knew Sakura would brood over it if she didn't try to extend this kind act to the new boy; although he himself had no problem with it in the first place.

"Nicholas-kun, do you have history now?" Sakura called to the blonde boy who turned from the map at the sound of her voice.

"I think so." He frowned, seeming unsure then nodded his head. "Yes, quite sure." He still didn't look totally convinced so he reached into his blazer pocket and unfolded a piece of A4 paper with his timetable on it then nodded again, having confirmed it.

"We're going there now; if you want we can show you." Shaoran finished off the invitation for Sakura and Nicholas grinned.

"That'd be great, thanks." He joined them and they travelled together to the classroom.

"So, what do we learn in history here? I'm worried I might be a little left behind here." Nicholas asked. He looked earnest rather than worried. He gave off the idea that he was a great seeker of knowledge and enjoyed learning anything new.

"We're just finishing an overview of Japanese history. We're going to learn about Genghis Khan next." Sakura explained; and then Shaoran took over.

"We learn a fair bit about China and some about English history this year. Next year, if you stay with it we learn more about European medieval history." Nicholas looked overjoyed at this.

"Brilliant! Back in England it was all about the World Wars or politics. It was so very boring; I enjoy the older history a great deal more. Oh; and I hope you don't mind me asking; are you two a couple?" The boy changed subjects quickly to a more conversational topic but did it easily enough.

"Y-yes." Sakura answered, blushing a little at the forward question but Nicholas beamed.

"Ah, good good. You go well together, if you don't mind me saying so."

And so the couple met Nicholas Cray, the cheerful and wise young Englishman who was to change their lives.


	2. Chapter 1

**C**hapter 1

"…And so the civil war between the two coalitions ended." Sakura finished her group's presentation then stepped back into the line her group were in to signify the end of their work. The class politely put down their pens with which they had been making notes and applauded.

"Well done, very well done." The teacher called jovially. He was a short and large man, very jolly and enthusiastic about his job where he was given a willing audience to speak about his great passion about history. "Do we have any questions for the group then?" The students looked thoughtful but no one raised a hand. The teacher waited a few minutes before he turned to the group. "I have one then. What happened to the leader of the losing faction?" Sakura's group looked at each other and whispered amongst themselves but none of them knew.

The teacher grinned; glad they had allowed him a chance to show off his knowledge.

"Does anyone know how the first Shogun of the Edo period punished the leader of the enemy faction?" The teacher waited, as if he expected someone to know; but when one of the students raised their hand he seemed surprised.

"Yes?" The teacher asked. All the students turned to look at the boy who had raised his hand.

"He had him buried in the ground up to his neck and then was beheaded with a blunt saw." Nicholas Cray answered and the students looked to the teacher for confirmation who nodded with a wide smile forming on his face.

"That's right, yes indeed, that's right! Well done, very well done." The teacher spoke enthusiastically, pleased to have received a valuable contribution from his newest student already. The students were staring at Nicholas as if he had just created the cure for cancer.

"Right, now that the presentations are over we'll be moving onto our next topic of Genghis Khan. Ah yes, Cray, as you've missed our quick run through of Japanese history you may need to take some notes from others and do some research on your own but it was mostly background and an introduction to study skills rather than part of the syllabus. Now, I have a list of books people can read for background research, if they wish."

* * *

"You're quite knowledgeable, Cray-kun!" Nicholas was once again surrounded by students, most of them girls who were naturally more forward in their amiability.

"I read a lot; history's just my favourite subject." Nicholas replied modestly, rubbing the back of his head and forcing a laugh. "Oh; and please call me by my first name, I prefer to use more friendly terms, don't you?"

Sakura and Shaoran followed the crowd who surrounded Nicholas down the corridor and outside where the boy spotted the two and waved to them with a smile on his face. The students began to disperse to make the most of this interval between classes.

"Thanks for taking me to class; I don't think I'd have found it otherwise. I'm useless with maps." Nicholas greeted them.

"It must be hard to suddenly come to a school abroad, though." Sakura sympathised and Nicholas replied with a sad smile which immediately made her regret the comment.

"It's hard, I suppose; but I think it'll be easier than back home where there are far too many memories." Nicholas subconsciously touched his chest then shook his head and forced a smile. "What do you two have next then?" He asked, switching topic quickly.

"I have maths next, Sakura has a free period." Shaoran said. Normally he might have thought that the boy's friendliness suggested affection for Sakura, which was quite common considering her cheerful and friendly nature coupled with her good looks; but he sensed nothing like that from this Englishman.

"We were going to find Tomoyo-chan. She has a free period next like me and we usually spend it together." Sakura finished off the explanation. Nicholas looked to Shaoran.

"Do you mind if I tag along? I have maths next and I'm not confident I can find the classroom too easily." It was then that Shaoran realised what the vibe this boy was giving him was. He was lonely, having come to a foreign country to start anew he knew no one except his godfather who he was staying with and so was trying to make some friends and settle in. It reminded him of his own beginning here which, while very different, still gave him some understanding of the boy.

"Sure." Shaoran answered and Sakura looked at him. She had been about to accept his request; but Shaoran had instead which was rare for the boy who preferred to be with his close friends than with strangers. Nicholas grinned happily.

"Brilliant! So, off we go, eh?"

The trio circled the school building to take the entrance into the language area.

"Tomoyo-chan's taking Japanese," Sakura explained to Nicholas, "Oh; and she's learning English too. Maybe she can talk to you in it?" She suggested, happy with that idea. She knew Tomoyo would enjoy the chance to talk with someone in a language she was learning.

"It'd be nice to hear my own language now and then." Nicholas said with a smile. He had spoken to the two quite a bit since they had started walking and the couple had discovered him to be both intellectual and carefree, a normally volatile combination but in him it seemed to have melded together to create a boy who had a love for the pursuit of almost all knowledge while taking great joy in the simple things of life.

"There she is." Shaoran was the one who spoke and pointed to where a girl with long black hair and pale skin was walking towards them. In recent years Tomoyo had continued to grow her hair until it swished behind her knees. She still had a face of serene calm which had grown to become truly beautiful, the girl could pass to be a model now and many boys in the year group had looked at her admiringly; but she had turned down all offers. She was devoted to her friendship to Sakura and seemed to have no interest in a relationship.

"_Angelus bellissimus."_ Nicholas murmured. Sakura and Shaoran looked at him, not understanding the language. Tomoyo greeted Sakura warmly, as usual and then Shaoran before turning to Nicholas.

"Ah, Tomoyo-chan, this is Nicholas-kun. He's from England." Sakura introduced Nicholas.

"You come from England?" Tomoyo asked in English. Her speech was fluent, reflecting her keen intelligence.

"I do indeed. I'm Cray Nicholas." Nicholas answered in Japanese just as fluently and Tomoyo smiled.

"I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, pleased to meet you." Again she spoke in English and the two smiled at each other; and Shaoran couldn't help but notice how their expressions were almost identical.

"Tomoyo-chan's in our class but she had choir this morning." Sakura explained and Nicholas raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Choir, huh? What kind of music do you sing?" He asked out of interest.

"Mostly opera songs but some other music." Tomoyo replied, slipping back into Japanese for the sake of Shaoran and Sakura who couldn't understand English so well.

"Ah, back in England the choirs were always singing hymns. It's nice to have some variety." Nicholas mused. The mention of hymns sparked a memory in Sakura.

"Do you know someone called Hiiragizawa Eriol?" Sakura asked and they all looked at her.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I do." Nicholas answered, frowning as he sifted through his memories. "Ah wait. I remember meeting someone with name once." He brightened as he remembered.

"Really?" Sakura asked, her eyes excited.

"Yes I remember now. It was a couple of years back; but we played together in the cathedral. He was the organist for the Christmas service and I was the violinist and a bass in the choir. We talked a little after the service."

"How is he?" It was Shaoran who had asked. The boy had developed a grudging respect for the reincarnation of Clow Reed, as someone who had protected and helped Sakura.

"He seemed content with how he lived. Although what I remember most was how he said something rather cryptic." Nicholas frowned while he tried to remember. "'Even though you seem like you're the only one to remember, you're never alone'." Nicholas shrugged. "It made no sense to me, I don't know if it does to you, though." The others shook their heads.

"I'll send him a letter tomorrow." Sakura said. The school bell rang then and they divided themselves into their two pairs.

"So are we going out for lunch again then?" Tomoyo asked and Sakura looked to Shaoran who said it was fine by him. Then Sakura suggested Nicholas should come and he agreed quite readily. They said their farewells and separated.

"What did you say earlier, by the way?" Shaoran asked curiously and Nicholas chuckled.

"It was Latin. As for what it means? Just a description."

* * *

"Graphs? Oh, I do hate them so." Nicholas grumbled as he looked at the textbook page in front of him; but despite his protestation it turned out he was extremely proficient at analysing them. "Oh, I can read them and understand them; but drawing them? No way." He said to Shaoran when the boy brought the topic up after the lesson.

"You're pretty good at school stuff." Shaoran complimented him but Nicholas laughed the compliment away.

"No, no. I have this horrible talent of being competent at almost everything but good at almost nothing." The two boys joined the girls at the front gate and the group walked out from the school.

"Ah, I remember doing this back in England. We always used to go to Starbucks everyday." Nicholas said with a smile. "Although the tea they served there was really not very nice."

"Starbucks?" Tomoyo asked. The others didn't know what it was either.

"It's a coffee shop. They're all over the place in Europe and America." Nicholas explained.

"I think there's something like that over on the other side of town." Shaoran said and Sakura agreed with him.

"We went to it once in the summer, I think."

They wandered and chatted as they made their way to the juice bar where Sakura, Shaoran and Tomoyo usually went for their lunch break.

The day continued much as it might've normally until school finished. The group once again met by the school gates and walked off into the town. They took a detour through the park where they found an ice cream stall. It was unusual to find them so late in the year and it was one of the last hot days of the autumn.

After pooling their money Shaoran walked over to the stall and bought four ice creams. The two girls and Nicholas waited while he bought them.

"You know, there are quite a few differences between England and Japan; but the best one is definitely the weather. Right now it's probably tipping it down back home." Nicholas commented as he stared up at the sky which showed no sign of bad weather, mostly clear of clouds so that the sun could be seen clearly as it set.

"Shaoran's taking a while, I wonder if they've run out?" Sakura turned around to look for him but there was no one at the stall. "Eh, where'd he go?" She said out aloud.

"Who?" Tomoyo asked and Sakura turned back to look at her.

"Shaoran! He was just buying some ice cream for us but he's not there. I wonder if he got distracted…." Sakura looked around them, searching for the missing boy.

"Sakura-chan, who's Shaoran?" Sakura froze before turning very slowly to look at her old friend, a chill running down her spine. Tomoyo's face was utterly earnest, she wasn't joking, she didn't know who Shaoran was. Sakura ran over to the stall and got the owner's attention.

"Hey, where'd the boy who was just here go?" She asked. The man raised an eyebrow at her.

"I haven't had any customers for about half an hour now. D'you want something before I close shop?" Sakura ran from the stall without answering the man who stared after her for a moment before shaking his head and starting to close the stall.

"Sakura-chan! Are you alright?" Tomoyo asked in concern as Sakura looked around desperately.

"Do you really not remember him, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked, tears in her eyes. It was then that Nicholas stepped in and felt her forehead with his hand.

"She has a temperature, she might have a fever. People sometimes hallucinate with a fever. I'll make sure she gets home." He said to Tomoyo who nodded her head.

"Please do, she must be unwell. I'll see you tomorrow then. Sakura-chan, please don't come in if you're still unwell." Tomoyo said, giving Sakura a reassuring smile before turning to go.

"I'm not ill!" Sakura protested but Nicholas hushed her.

"Something's weird. Tomoyo-san doesn't remember him and the stall owner says he hasn't served anyone recently. We need to think about this and not panic." Sakura just stared at him through tearful eyes.

"Y-you remember Shaoran?" She asked, sniffing.

"Yes, no one else does though. That's not normal. If it were just you I'd think you really were hallucinating but I remember him too so something's up. Do you remember Eriol's message?"

"'Even though you seem like you're the only one to remember, you're never alone.'" Sakura said, understanding.

"I think there's more to you lot than meets the eye; and I suggest you tell me everything so we can work together and find out what's going on."


	3. Chapter 2

**C**hapter 2

Sakura was torn between keeping her secret and finding Shaoran; but of course the latter emotion overrode the former.

"Kero-chan can explain it to you. Come on, we'll go to my house." Sakura said and ran off. Nicholas set off after her and they ran down the deserted park path and emerged at the T-junction where Shaoran had been waiting for Sakura that very morning. The girl stopped for a moment, overcome by the memory but Nicholas' ragged breathing reminded her of the present and she ran on.

At last they arrived at the Kinomoto residence and Sakura pushed the gate open as she waited for Nicholas to catch up. He wasn't breathing particularly heavily; but had one hand on his chest and was wincing as if he were out of breath.

"Come on, in we go." He said in an even tone. Sakura ran up the steps to the door and unlocked it with her house keys and pushed it open.

"I'm home!" She called as she slipped her shoes off and put on the pair of slippers waiting where she had left them that morning. Nicholas walked up to the front door and planted both his feet a shoulder width apart before stepping over the threshold and doing the same. He then took off his shoes and began to follow Sakura inside. He stopped and looked back at the door then hurried back, knelt down and put his shoes neatly together against the side of the wall. That done he went inside.

"Welcome home, Sakura-san." A kind voice said. There was the sound of footsteps running up the stairs as Sakura pounded her way upstairs and down the landing to her room. Fujitaka, Sakura's father, came out of the kitchen with a surprised look on his face. He was drying a plate with a tea towel as he noticed Nicholas.

"Ah, hello. I'm not sure we've met?" Fujitaka greeted him politely, frowning as he tried to remember all the friends Sakura had brought home.

"No, we haven't yet. I just started school today, I came from abroad and Sakura-chan was kind enough to help me out on my first day. Oh, I'm Cray Nicholas, pleased to make your acquaintance." Nicholas extended a hand and a rather surprised Fujitaka shook the proffered hand.

"That accent and those manners, you come from England?" Fujitaka asked and Nicholas nodded with a smile.

"I'm afraid our stereotypical politeness isn't so much of a reality these days."

"Ah, Dad, I've brought a friend over!" Sakura called from upstairs and Fujitaka smiled knowingly at Nicholas, a silent communication acknowledging how Sakura was rather absent minded.

"So I see. Do you want me to bring some tea upstairs?" He asked loudly so that Sakura could hear.

"Yes please!" Sakura called back downstairs and Fujitaka gestured for Nicholas to go upstairs; but the boy frowned.

"Surely it wouldn't be right for a boy to be going into a girl's bedroom so suddenly?" Nicholas asked in concern but Fujitaka's smile didn't change.

"I trust Sakura-san to make her choices well." He explained before turning back into the kitchen. Nicholas mulled that over as he went up the stairs and decided that from what he knew of Sakura, he agreed with her father.

"Ah, Nicholas-kun, shut the door will you?" Sakura asked as Nicholas peered around the door, nervous of entering her room despite her father's assurance. He stepped inside, planting both feet on the floor, meticulously a shoulder width apart, before turning around to close the door behind him.

"So who is this Kero person?" Nicholas asked, looking around the room. He had thought perhaps it was Sakura's brother, or even her father; but it seemed like that was not the case.

"Kero-chan, wake up!" Sakura hissed into the bottom drawer of her desk. Nicholas was overcome by the worry that perhaps Sakura had snapped, then he thought that perhaps he too were mad, maybe he had just imagined Shaoran? But Sakura also remembered him so that seemed unlikely; but even so, talking into a drawer was definitely not a clear sign of a stable mind.

As Nicholas mused over the problems of him having lost his own sanity a small yellow head poked its head out of the drawer.

"Sakura? You're back already?" It asked sleepily, turning around. Then it spotted Nicholas. "Oi, oi! Sakura there's someone else here!" It flew out of the drawer, yes, flew. It looked like a yellow plush toy with white wings which now flapped to keep it in the air.

Nicholas' only response was to raise one eyebrow.

_That proves it, I've snapped._

_

* * *

  
_

"So let me get this straight: You're the most powerful sorceress in the world. You have these things called Clow Cards which you use to manifest your powers in conjunction with some staff; and this is one of the Guardians put in charge of protecting the Cards and guiding their new owner?" Nicholas summarised, one hand on his forehead as if he had a headache.

"That's right! This kid's pretty smart." Keroberos complimented, nodding his head. "More than the other kid, anyway." He added with a sly look at Sakura.

"Kero-chan!" Sakura cried as she grabbed him out of reflex before remembering that Shaoran was missing. Her shoulders sagged and her lively face was wrought in worry.

"Oi, Sakura! Don't look so glum, we'll find the kid, wherever he's gone!" Keroberos assured her, feeling guilty for reminding her.

"In all the books on mythology I've read all the magic users were able to sense one another. Are you able to sense magic?" Nicholas asked, musing and expanding his line of thought. He had a talent for strategy when the focus was clear.

"Yeah; but I didn't sense anything when Shaoran disappeared." Sakura answered, sniffing. Nicholas frowned.

"Well that would insinuate that it wasn't something of magical origin; but there's no way everyone but us forgot about him. Which leads me to another point, can we be sure it's only us who remember?" Nicholas asked, looking at Sakura who nodded.

"Tomoyo didn't remember him. The man at the ice cream stall didn't either." Sakura looked at Kero. "Kero-chan, does Nicholas-kun have any magic?" She asked. Kero flew over to Nicholas and touched a paw to the boy's forehead. Nicholas couldn't help but notice how it really was just like a stuff toy's paw.

"Nope, he doesn't. I don't get it then. Tomoyo is closer to Shaoran than you are so it can't be bonds or something like that." Keroberos' little plush toy face tried to frown, a slight crease between his eyes.

"Eriol-kun might know!" Sakura exclaimed after a moment's thought. Keroberos nodded his head enthusiastically.

"That's right! Clow might have seen this coming!" Kero agreed.

"He did." Nicholas interrupted. The two stopped to look at him. "Sakura-chan, remember what he told me? I suppose he's a sorcerer like you, so I expect he saw it coming."

"Why didn't he tell us then?" Sakura demanded.

"Whoever did this had enough power to make everyone forget. I doubt it'd be beyond their influence to stop him communicating with you via phone, e-mail or letter. So he sent a message the only way he could." Nicholas pointed to himself.

"He must've cast a spell on you so that you wouldn't be affected!" Keroberos exclaimed as he followed Nicholas' train of thought.

"I doubt we can depend on Eriol, we probably can't even contact him. He made me immune to this magic somehow. He knew I was coming to Japan; it was something we talked about. He wanted to send a message to you somehow, so he did. Through me."

"He could've sent a more useful message." Keroberos grumbled. "He's always like this! He never says anything simple." Nicholas pointed at Keroberos.

"You remember as well, though. Sakura-chan's father doesn't. I assume Shaoran-kun's been in your bedroom before?" Nicholas turned to Sakura and she nodded, with a hint of a blush. The boy rolled his eyes at that.

"I didn't mean like that. He's been in here; but when I asked your father if it was alright for a boy to go in your room he said he trusted you. He would have brought up Shaoran-kun at some point, so he doesn't remember either."

"So it's only us." Sakura summed it up for him and sighed.

"If I remember Yue might; but that won't help us at all. We need to find out where the kid went." Keroberos growled in his Osakan accent.

"So what do we do?" Sakura asked. Silence met her.

* * *

"Let me out of here!" Shaoran shouted. He rattled the bars of his cell that kept him trapped from the outside world.

"Be quiet." A disembodied voice said. All Shaoran could see was darkness, there was a spluttering torch by his cell door but it was weak.

"What do you want?" The boy demanded. He was angry at himself for being captured so easily. He knew Sakura would be worried about him and that made him even angrier as an image of her crying popped into his mind. "Why are you keeping me here?" He yelled. Something whipped out of the dark and smacked the knuckles on his right hand that gripped one of the bars of his cell. He fell back with a cry of pain and held his right wrist with his left hand, trying to check for damage. He couldn't move his fingers and the pain made him think they might be broken; but he bit back the pain.

"I said be quiet." The voice said again in a monotone.

"What do you want?" Shaoran growled, filtering the pain out of his voice.

"To use you." The reply came back after a long pause as the owner of the voice considered its answer.

"Use me?" Shaoran repeated but there were no more answers for him.


	4. Chapter 3

**C**hapter 3

The next day at school Shaoran's name was missed out of the register, no one mentioned his absence. The desk he usually sat at was empty but no one noticed, no one remembered him at all.

Sakura remained miserable the whole day but forced a smile whenever someone asked her about it and assured them it was nothing. She was distracted in ever lesson and only with Nicholas' and Tomoyo's help did she answer the questions asked of her.

At the end of the day Tomoyo met Nicholas and Sakura by the gate.

"Sakura-chan, you're not very cheerful today." Tomoyo said and Sakura tried to assure she was happy and force a smile but Nicholas interrupted her and shook his head.

"I don't think Tomoyo-san is so easily fooled, Sakura-chan." He said quietly and Sakura gave up her charade.

"What's wrong, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked gently. Sakura started crying and fell into the other girl's waiting arms.

"No one remembers Shaoran, Tomoyo-chan! Even you don't!" She cried. Tomoyo looked up at Nicholas and he nodded.

"It seems like only Sakura-chan and I remember. That empty desk in our classroom? It belongs to him. I pretended I didn't know why it was empty and asked everyone in our class, even the teacher. They all said it was always empty, no one ever sat there."

"Could this be to do with the Clow Cards?" Tomoyo asked quietly; but Nicholas still overheard.

"I wouldn't worry; Sakura-chan told me everything yesterday. We were the only two to remember so I had to know everything to help." He assured her.

"Sakura-chan, who is Shaoran?" Tomoyo asked Sakura. Sakura looked up at her, saying nothing. The tears in her eyes and the look of pain were enough for Tomoyo.

"We'll find him, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo assured the girl.

"You remember him?" Sakura asked hopefully.

"No; but I believe you, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said with a comforting smile; and Sakura couldn't help but smile at the girl's steadfast friendship.

"I suggest we go to my home and talk about this." Tomoyo spoke to Nicholas who nodded his agreement.

* * *

"I suppose you're rich, then?" Nicholas asked sardonically as he looked around him at the huge gardens around him and the mansion ahead.

"Mother runs a large company." Tomoyo explained. They went inside and to her room where they sat down in the ensuite living room. Tomoyo asked the maid to bring some tea and cake up to them before she joined them.

"How do we look for him?" Tomoyo asked; but she got no reply.

"We need to work out what happened before we start figuring out what to do." Nicholas suggested and the two girls agreed. The boy reached into his rucksack, which he only ever carried on one shoulder, and pulled out a notebook and a fountain pen which he quickly clicked the lid off and slotted it onto the back of the pen.

"So he disappeared when he was buying ice cream from the stall after school yesterday. We left school at normal time and it's roughly fifteen minutes to get to that point in the park. So if we say 16:05 is when it happened." Nicholas spoke, writing in the notebook as he talked.

"No one remembers him at all, except us." Sakura said and Nicholas nodded as he continued to write.

"It can't be because we're magic users; although it's likely that Eriol cast a spell on me to protect me from this. We can assume that the cause of this magical; and that Eriol is also being obstructed from contacting you directly. He had to send a message through me." Nicholas continued to scribble down his notes onto paper.

"They must have been powerful for you to not notice, Sakura-chan. And Li-kun wouldn't be taken very easily." Tomoyo interjected and Nicholas' writing hand stopped for a moment as he looked up. He tilted his head to the right and bit down the metal lid of his fountain pen absent mindledly.

"Well, I don't know much about how magic is in reality, but I'm quite sure that there are probably people possessing powers while not being powerful themselves? Specialised, you might say." He looked to Sakura who just shook her head.

"I don't know. Shaoran and I are the only sorcerers I knew of but the Cards are specialised." Sakura reached into her bag and pulled the deck into view.

"Would that Keroberos know anything that could help? Oh; and do you mind if I take a look at those cards. I promise I'll give them back." Sakura hesitated a moment but there was something about the boy's eyes and the aura he gave off that made her trust him. She handed over the Cards, still reluctant and watched as the boy quickly shuffled through them, his brow furrowed as he concentrated.

"Kero-chan might know something, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo spoke up and Sakura nodded.

"I'll call him then." Sakura picked up her phone which was on the desk and dialled the speed dial for the phone Tomoyo had given her for Keroberos to have. She stood up and walked over to a window so as not to hear better while Tomoyo and Nicholas talked, the boy holding up Cards and asking her what it did, scribbling some things down with his free hand.

* * *

Shaoran couldn't sense anyone around so he moved to the front of his cell and looked out through the bars. It was still pitch black despite the guttering torch in the bracket next to his cell. He waited a few more minutes but there was no one moving that he could see or hear.

Finally deciding it was time to make a move he searched with his hands for the lock of the cage. He was expecting one of those square pieces of metal with a keyhole in the middle like in the prison scenes of films; but instead he found a padlock between two metal outcrops with a whole in them to hold a swinging gate of the bars shut.

Shaoran searched himself but anything that could help him had been taken. Instead he grasped the padlock and tried to force it open. It didn't give but he persevered until he felt it budge a little. Spurred on by this success he began to pull with renewed strength until the metal lock suddenly snapped away leaving him with the main bulk of the padlock in one hand and the metal loop in another. The cell door swung open and he pushed it open cautiously, hoping that it wouldn't squeal on its hinges.

It didn't make a sound and he slipped out before pushing it slowly shut and fixing the padlock onto the door so that it looked like it had before. He doubted that anyone would notice he wasn't in the cell with this darkness but he couldn't count on that.

The boy fumbled around in the darkness, bumping into what he guessed was a low wooden stool. He stopped and felt around until he found a more solid wooden leg of a table and moved his hands along the surface. He found what he had hoped to find: a string of beads that was the sealed form of his sword.

He shoved the beads into his pocket and peered around him in the darkness. After spending however long he had been here in this light he was able to discern where the walls were and so he had worked out where the only doorway into the room was. He made his way to it; but thinking it through he unsealed his sword and felt more comfortable with the weight of the weapon in his hand. Reassured, he edged forwards into the darkness.

* * *

"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo's voice woke Sakura from her doze and she jerked away, feeling guilty that she had fallen asleep when Shaoran was missing.

"You didn't sleep last night, did you?" Nicholas asked. He was holding a Sakura Card in his hand. A pile of paper was neatly stacked in the corner of the table to his left, the other Cards on the right hand corner. He still held his pen in his hand but he wasn't writing anything, having written 'The Hope' but nothing else after it.

"Not really." Sakura admitted, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Sakura-chan, what does this Card do?" Tomoyo asked. Nicholas showed her 'The Hope' Card and Sakura found that she wasn't actually sure.

"Before we sealed it that Card erased everyone and everything. I don't know what it does now though."

"That Card has the power of the rest of them put together." Keroberos' voice alerted them all to his presence. Nicholas was writing again as the Beast of the Seal flew in through the slight ajar window. "That was the Yang to the Yin of the rest of the Cards, Clow said. The other Cards all brought power but that one removed it."

"Would it be powerful enough to remove people's memories of a person?" Nicholas asked, not looking up from his notebook.

"It doesn't do that. That's not its power, it just erases them." Keroberos answered and Nicholas frowned. "One of the Cards can't have done this, they all obey Sakura." Nicholas nodded and wrote that down before ripping out the page and neatly laying it on top of the pile.

"So basically we've got a whole lot of nothing; but there is an idea that I have." Nicholas mused; they all turned to look at him.

"You see, the Erase Card can erase people and presumably memories, right? And through the combination of other Cards, let's say using Dash, it wouldn't be hard to get someone away when no one was looking for a split second, right?" No one disagreed.

"But it can't be one of the Cards!" Keroberos protested. Nicholas raised a hand to him.

"I understand that; but I'm suggesting something different. Surely it's not such a long shot to imagine that someone can use the powers of these Cards without having them in their possession?" They stared at him. A cold chill ran down Sakura's back.

"I've never heard of anything like that before." Keroberos growled; but the conviction was gone from his voice.

"So they have the same powers as me?" Sakura asked, stricken. "I can't save Shaoran then…."

Then the girl broke down and cried on Tomoyo's shoulder.


End file.
